Delusions about elephants

Uriah 2022-09-24 13:03:57

The first time I saw "The Elephant" was because of the young blond boy on the poster, because of the bad attention to sensitive events such as school shootings.

The second time I watched it was to wait for the shock of the last few minutes of the film.

It's a quiet film, and the background music is even a familiar love song like "To Alice."
At first, in my eyes, it was out of place to include such a tune.

The location is an American college and the time is an ordinary day. The narrative method is to tell the story before the shooting by piecing together different characters' perspectives and spaces as the center.

What a normal and even beautiful day it is. Tall boys take pictures of couples in a park full of autumn leaves; stylish girls gather in the hallway, talking about handsome boys passing by and complaining that their girlfriends prefer sex over friends; blond boys are kissed and comforted by beautiful girls when they cry inexplicably; students They discussed topics in the classroom, lively and lively. People in love talk so affectionately.
Of course there are some minor troubles. The chubby girl in red is always laughed at by others, and the cowardly black-haired boy is teased and bullied by his classmates.
But these are common sights on high school campuses. Everything went on in an orderly and silent manner.
What a normal day.

I almost forgot that it was a school shooting movie.

The melody of "To Alice" came from the house. The black-haired boy in front of the piano was silent and quiet. The beautiful tunes flowed, and the boy's white face became angry. In his fingers, in the tune, he felt the power.
This is Beethoven's tune, a lovelorn tune, it's angry, sad, roaring, it's not just the first few melodious melody. It has the power of pain.
So, until the inner waves of the black-haired boy.

Then he played gun games with friends and ordered guns and explosives. Smile, try guns at home, and be as excited as a game-loving kid.

The last few minutes of the film are endless shootings. There is no target, and one after another is shot. He had no hesitation, no fear, and calmly carried out the plan he had already made. The classroom was burning with flames, and teachers and students ran away crying, so cowardly. People outside still didn't know what was going on on campus, and panicked eyes were everywhere.

He shot his ally, then stood there, gun in hand, as if he had it all.

So a normal day ends with a very abnormal tragedy.

The director narrates the story from the perspective of a bystander, without any redundant description, as if the camera was following behind these people, shooting without prior planning, indifferent and real, without emotion.

Watching this film requires quietness and patience to find the undercurrents under the calm exterior.

View more about Elephant reviews

Extended Reading

Elephant quotes

  • [first lines]

    Mr. McFarland: What? Hey! Where are you going? Come here.

    John McFarland: Oh, my God, Dad.

    Mr. McFarland: Get in the car. You're gonna be late for school. Come on.

    John McFarland: Mom's gonna kill you.

  • [last lines]

    Nathan: You're fuckin' sick. Don't do this.

    Alex: Eeny, meeny, miny, moe.